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Show THURSDAY, JANUARY 31, 2002 UNIVERSITY JOURNAL SPORTS PAGE 8 » MEN’S BASKETBALL ‘Birds to play on national TV BY JASON ERICKSON. ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR ‘ SUU looks to extend its five-game winning streak tonight at the Centrum Arena, seeking revenge on Oakland, after a one-point loss that took place on Jan. 5 in Rochester, Mich. The 'Birds will then host IUPUI Saturday on national television in the Centrum Arena. The 'Birds soar back into the Centrum Arena after - sweeping a two-game road trip for their first road wins of the season and has given SUU a lot of confidcncé heading into the final month of the season. “We are making progress,” coach Bill Evans said. “Our players are getting better.” * Evans remains low key about his team’s. success but knows that his team is doing the best it can to achieve its goals. “We're playing for something,” he said. “Our team is - playing for opportunity We ‘have a lot of- toughness and character.” Evans, who recently surpassed Stan Jack as the school’s all-time winningest coach with appeared on Fox sports last year when they defeated Chicago State in Chicago. “We want to show the nation what Thunderbird basketball is all about,” Tony Jewkes, assistant athletic director of marketing, said. “The Centrum is one of the hardest places to play in the Mid-Con and we want to show people why.” Tonight's contest against Oakland has many implications, because if SUU wants another shot at snagging another MidCon Championship the team must win at home. SUU (5-2) cuurently sits in a tie with Oral Roberts for second place in the conference standings behind Valpraraiso (6-1), whose only loss came in the Centrum Arena against the 'Birds on Jan. 10. Oakland (4-3) split its Mid-Con games last week with a win over Western Illinois 93-75 Thursday and then a 86-77 loss to ‘Valpraraiso on Saturday. The Grizziles then lost a nonconference game to Indiana University Fort Wayne 77-71 Monday night in Fort Wayne, Ind. However, Evans knows this team will be hungry for a win, especially over one of the top teams in the Mid-Con. “They’re highly explosive,” he said. “Any The men’s game |on Saturday . : his 146th win over UMKC on Saturday night says that he has had a lotof help in achievmg the record. “That record says a lot for thns university, ! Evans said. "You have to give credit to a lot: of people. A great administration, a suppottive family and boosters who understand that there are other things that are important besides winning.” Evans has the right perspective about being a coach. “Winning is nice, but the well-being of our players is what counts,” he said. “The good education and everything else they learn |will tip off at 5 p.m. to - |accommodate Fox sports, will be carrying the game live to a while here is what is important and this athletic staff understands that.” natz'onal i audience. 'ERIN MADSON/JOURNAL Tonight’s game against the Grizzlies will be the prelude to Saturday’s contest against TUPUL, a game that will be televised to the nation on FOX sports from the Centrum Arena for the first time in SUU history. The *Birds have been advertising the game around campus and in local newspapers to get a large crowd. The Donnie Jackson head into a two-game homestand . starting tonight against Oakland in the Centrum Arena. The ’Birds will also host [UPUI at 5 p.m. on Saturday night. The game will be shown on Fox Sportstoa national audience. SUU is 5-2 in the Mid-Con this season. athletic department’s goal is to have 5,000 Thunderbird fans in the arena by 5 p.m. The incentive to have fans there on time is five fans potentially winning $5,000. In otder to enter the drawing, fans must be there before tip-off. © Saturday’s game will'be the first one in the Centrum Afena © to appear on national television. Last season, the 'Birds appeared on CBS in the first round of the NCAA tournament and SUU also played on ESPN 2 as they defeated Valparaiso for the Mid-Con Championship a season ago. The 'Birds also team in our league can win on any given night and Oakland will be ready to come in and pldy us tough.” Evans says the Grizzlies are athletic and have the potential to give the 'Birds some problems. “Oakland can create a lot of problems for us defensively,” he said. “They have a lot of talented kids who are very athletic.”As for Saturday’s game, IUPUI will also be looking to bounce back after splitting a pair of home games last week. The Jaguars (4-3) fell in overtime to Valpo on Thursday 74-73, then defeated Western Illinois 59-58 on Saturday. The Jaguars play Chicago State tonight. SUU and Oakland have met seven times in the past with the 'Birds holding a 4-3 series advantage. The Golden Grizzlies are 0-3 in the Centrum Arena. Oakland won earlier this season in Rochester, Mich., 58-57. The 'Birds and IUPUI have also played seven times. SUU also holds a 4-3 series edge.The Jaguars are 1-2 in the Centrum Arena, having won 72-66 on the 'Birds’ floor in 1999. IUPUI also won eatlier this season in Indianapolis, Ind., 80-67. Tonight’s contest with Oakland will tipoff at 7:05 p.m. and * Saturday’s game will tip-off at 5 p.m. Saturday’s game is slated for a early start to accommodate the national TV coverage of the game. Both games will be played in the Centrum Arena. - After this week’s games, the 'Birds will head out on the road for a three-game road trip. SUU will conclude the regular season at home on Feb. 25 against UMKC. Lady ’Blrds Iose close one__}_‘ 'SU’s Beus player of week BY MARK JONES . the game for the Eagles w1th a three-point SPORTS EDITOR The SUU women'’s basketball will look to rebound Saturday night at home against. ... IUPUL, after a 88-85 double overtime [0ss t0 Oral Roberts on Monday night. e The game was close all night long as it featured 14 ties and 15 lead changes. Neither team never enjoyed a lead higher than five points for the entire game. The game featured some hot shooting from both basket of het own, The 'Birds had a chance to three-point shots to give SUU the lead at 60-58. | | |" “It's what I have done my good as they built the lead " whole life,” Beus said. “Being on a farm is what I Jove best. After to five at 86-81. The 'Birds didn’t go away as they cut. o to seal the victory for the 2 Golden Eagles. i e Megan Woolston became just the third player in school history to record 1,200 points and 500 rebounds in a career. She had 12 points and pulled down eight rebounds on Monday night. SUU would build its lead to four at 66-62 on another basket by ‘Woolston, but baskets by ORU’s Krista Ragan and Coti Williston tied the game at 66-66 with less than four minutes to play. The game remained tied at 70-70 with less than a minute to play when Lindsey Hille connected on a three-pointer to give the 'Birds a lead at 73-70. However, Ragan tied For the game, the 'Birds E were led by Sally Johnson: with 19 points, who moves into 10th place on the SUU’s career scoring list (836) and is just two points hsy of ninth place. Woolston finished with 12 points and eight rebounds and became just the third player in school history to score 1,200 points and pull down 500 rebounds. The loss drops SUU to 7-12 overall and 3-4 in the Mid-Con. The 'Birds will return home for a game on Saturday against IUPUI with tip- off set for 7:30 p.m. in the Centrum Areana. 54-49 win at UMKC Saturday, Beus tallied his fourth double-double of the season as he scored 13 points and 10 rebounds. The wins last week improve SUU’s record to 5-2 in the Mid-Con and are in a tie for second place with Oral Roberts. For the week, Beus averaged 17.5 points a game, 8.5 rebounds and four assists, while shooting On the season,Beus is averaging 13.5 points a game and 7.3 rebounds a family and work on the farm for - the rest of my life.” game, while hitting on 44 Beus, a 6-5 senior forward, is : Last week, Beus helped push the team’s winning streak to five with a sweep of a two-game road trip, only the second road sweep by the 'Birds since joining the MidCon. " In a overtime win over Oral Robcrts, ) Beus scored 22 points, pulled down seven rebounds and dished out four assists. In a 47 percent from the floor. basketball is over and I graduate I * will move back to Kuna with my g g Williston hit 4-0f-6 free gS throws down the stretch i cowboy boots and a Stetson hat. - Living on the farm has been. Beus’ whole life and remains a.dream that will soon become reality. the Eagles the lead for = £ After watching SUU forward Dan Beus suspect the boy from Idaho would walk out of the Centrum tunnel in Levi’s, points of the frame to give the lead to two, but Cen'trum Arena hardwood. _'on the basketball court, you would never scoring the first four close in the first half by makng 17-0f:33 shots for 51.5 percent, The Golden Eagles looked to put the game away midway through the ' as she hit consecutive Idaho, and has found a home on the second overtime by lead of 44-43. SUU stayed Woolston made sure the Eagles wouldn’t pull away milking dairy cows in the middle of Kuna, missed. ORU took control inthe . field making 18-0f-29 . attempts, good enough to give ORU the halftime four at 58-54. Megan George Strait fan comes straight from the game once again. The Eagles had a chance to win as time expired in the first overtime, buta baseline jumper by Ragan [ ' You just don’t hear of many Division I college basketball players that have grown up on a farm. However, this beef-eating frame, but back-to-back baskets by Hille tied - teams. The Golden Eagles shot 62 percent from the second half as they increased their lead to | win the game, but 2 Woolston shot was blocked as reguhtwn ended with the score | . tied.at 73:73.. Inovertime, ‘ORU jumped out fast by _scoring the first four points of the extra - percent of his field goal more than just a dairy farmer. He is also this year’s team leader, attempts. For Beus, he credits his abilities from a pan Beus dedication that is found from learning hard work and glvmg your best effort. . average athlete with tremendous toughness.” “My intensity and toughness really is what sets me apart from others,” he said, Beus’ toughness has turned him into one “I'm not the biggest guy, but I have always of the Mid-Con’s premier players. He was thought that if you work hard enough named Mid-Con player of the week this things will work out for you.” week as he led the 'Birds to a pair of wins. Beus will graduate in May with a degree “If you did some research, I'm sure that in agriculture business. Him and his wife you would find only a handful of players in are the parents of a three month daughter. - the nation that lead their team in scoring, rebounding, assists and minutes played,” —Jason Erickson Evans said. ' whose him as “Dan coach toughness has emerged one of the league’s best. plays the game hard,” Bill Evans said. “He is an SUU will face Oakland on Monday night. Track and field competes The SUU track and field team will be in action agam this weekend with a meet at the University of Nevada Reno Invitational in Reno, Nev. “We will be looking to build on the success that we had our first two meets,” said track and field coach Eric Houle. The team is coming off impressive showings in its first two meets inparticular last week, in which two school marks were set and one other one was tied. At the NAU meet on Saturday, Krystle Smart broke the school record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.95. Kandice Eardley broke a four-year school record in the women’s triple jump with a jump of 35-5. Shalene Finlinson tied the SUU high jump record with an event-winning height of 5-5. Houle said the performance of some is a credit to the entire team. at Reno Invitational Saturday “We didn’t get here because we focused on the best, but on the whole team,” he said. SUU, which normally gets off toa slow start has done anything but that this season. “We ususally get off to a slow start,” Houle said. “We work on getting them in shape and as weeks past we get better. We sacrifice Jooking good eatly for the sake of staying in shape.” Based on the early success for the ’Birds there is a sense of optimism that even more records could fall at the Reno Invitaional. ‘We gauge where we are as a team at meets like Reno,” Houle said. “So far we are ahead at this point, than in season’s past.” The Reno Invitational is a warm-up for the experience athletes for the lowa State Classic in Ames, Iowa the following weekend. For the younger athletes, the Reno Invitational provides an opportunity for them to grow. This year’s team has the potential to be right in the mix of _ things for a conference title. 4 “We should have a good season,” Houle said. “We shoulqi be in the ballpark for a conference champxonshxp However, Houle says track and field is different from othm sports. “Track and field is a unique sport. If you have athletes Who can compete, you can find the meets that is best for them.’ He says the Reno Invitational is a perfect fit for SUU 1nd its athletes. ‘Going to Reno is in the best interest of all our Athletes, Houle said. Following Saturday’s meet, the team will compete in dual meets in Ames, Iowa at the Iowa State Classic and in l“l,lgstaff Ariz. at the Days Inn Invitational on Feb. 9. SUU gymnastics in action at lowa meet Saturday The Lady ’Birds are back on the road this week for a meet at 22nd-ranked Iowa. SUU is coming off its highest opening-meet score in the history of the program. The 'Birds finished second at their season-opening meet on Saturday in Denton, Texas. The Hawkeyes are coming off a loss at home to ninth ranked Iowa State. It was UI's 17th straight loss to the Cyclones. Despite the loss, the Hawkeyes notched three season-bests and had three event co-champions in the loss. ‘Towa’s got a great team this year, they have been a great team every year,” said coach Scott Bauman. “They’ve alrcady gone 193 three timcs and they’ll be at home 50, they’ll have some good news.” The Hawkeyes are 1-2 on the season, wnth their only win coming against Big-Ten foe Michigan State. IU also had a season opening loss at sixth-ranked Nebraska. Bauman says the goal of the meet for the 'Birds is to continue to move forward. “We're just looking to keep improving,” he said. “We want| to eliminate our mental mistakes and try to put together thc kind of entire meet we know we’re capable of.” Towa is led by Alexis Maday, who on the season has recorded team highs in five different events mark -around SUU will next be in action on Feb. 8 at Arizona State. |